Oxygen diffusive wound dressings and methods of manufacturing and use

Abstract

Oxygen diffusive wound dressings and methods of manufacturing and use are described herein. The wound dressing may generally provide a ready supply of oxygen to a wound being treated via one or more oxygen conduits which are designed to pass oxygen from ambient air or other oxygen reservoirs into proximity to the wound, and may also provide for exudate removal through transecting channels in fluid communication with both the wound surface and a hydrophilic absorbent material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to wound dressing apparatus and methods of their manufacturing and use. More particularly, the present invention relates to wound dressings that allow for the oxygenation and prevention of dehydration of wounds while removing exudate from the wounds and methods of their use.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]To facilitate the healing of wounds, the wound environment needs to be conducive to cell survival and proliferation. If the wound becomes dehydrated or if a pool of exudate develops above or within the wound, oxygen diffusion to or through the wound becomes impeded and the cells become hypoxic, which impairs their function (for example, the antimicrobial activity of neutrophils or the production of collagen by fibroblasts). Under sustained hypoxic or anoxic conditions the cells may die. This is especially true if the wound has impaired vascular delivery of oxygen from the native blood vessels. Dressings which are used to si...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Additionally, the wound dressing may be formed through various manufacturing processes. One variation may generally comprise passing a length of multifilament fiber through a coating solution such that the fiber is coated via the solution while maintaining the openness of the internal interfilament spaces, arranging lengths of the coated fiber to align in parallel, woven, knit or otherwise arranged such that a coated fiber array is formed, securing the coated fiber array via one or more space-filling adhesive stripes placed transversely relative to a length of the coated fiber, positioning the coated fiber array over the open area of a hydrophilic absorbent material envelope and a hydrophilic absorbent material such that the hydrophilic absorbent material is positioned at a distance from the open area, and securing the hydrophilic absorbent material envelope such that the coated fiber array and hydrophilic absorbent material are sealed therein. The coating material and filament material may be hydrophobic to minimize condensation of water vapor diffusing through the coating, which could result in occlusion of the open interfilament spaces and a diminution of lateral oxygen diffusion along the length of the fiber.

[0034]With the coated fiber array and hydrophilic absorbent material so arranged, the film may be wrapped to cover and completely envelope the assembly while leaving the coated fiber array exposed within the open area for contacting the wound. The terminal ends of the coated fibers may make contact with an oxygen source, such as ambient air for passive diffusion into an antenna area or other oxygen source as described above. To complete the wound dressing, a border of adhesive may be framed around the coated fiber array and hydrophilic absorbent material so as to leave the open area exposed for contact against the wound. The coated fiber array and hydrophilic absorbent material assembly may be adhered or otherwise secured to the adhesive border, which may be trimmed to form the border. The border may thus allow for the dressing to be secured over a wound such that the exposed coated fibers along the open area directly contact the wound while border prohibits or inhibits any exudate from wicking laterally along the dressing and maintaining a hermetic seal.

Problems solved by technology

The coating material and filament material may be hydrophobic to minimize condensation of water vapor diffusing through the coating, which could result in occlusion of the open interfilament spaces and a diminution of lateral oxygen diffusion along the length of the fiber.

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